Self checkout is becoming a popular solution for merchants who wish to reduce front end labor expense and allow their customers convenience, reduced time at the checkout counter, and privacy. While offering these benefits, a preferred feature is that the self checkout counter consume minimal floor space. This is particularly important in drug stores or convenience stores where space is usually extremely limited.
Of further importance is protection against theft and fraud, which is an inherent risk when the customer is allowed to perform the checkout. Some efforts to provide security for a self checkout system interfere with the primary objectives of the self checkout solution. For example, a self checkout system from PSI (Productivity Solutions Incorporated) utilizes an optical grid to confirm shape parameters at the beginning of a long security tunnel. This system is nearly eleven feet in length and requires items to be scanned and placed on a belt, which transports the items through the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, the items can be bagged. While providing a level of security, the length and size of the tunnel have a significant footprint. Such floor space consumption limits the ability to conveniently include the system in many store environments.
Accordingly, a need exists for a self checkout system that consumes very little space and does not compromise security. The present invention addresses such a need.